unit 4 - digestive system

Question 1

what does the digestive system do?

Answer 1

• helps to break down food and absorb nutrients into our blood
• a long tube from mouth to the anus with specialised regions to break down food so it can pass into blood and go to cells

Question 2

bile and pancreatic juices

Answer 2

• filled with digestive enzymes
• specialised proteins that chemically change the nutrients from food into forms that can be absorbed into blood
• this is known as chemical digestion

Question 3

why does digestion occur

Answer 3

as we need to break down food so it can be absorbed into plasma

Question 4

what are the two types of digestion

Answer 4

mechanical digestion
chemical digestion

Question 5

mechanical digestion

Answer 5

1- chew food to make it small enough to swallow
2- churn food in stomach to make chyme
chyme is in a form that provides easier access to nutrients for the digestive system

Question 6

chemical digestion

Answer 6

• protein, carbs and fats are too big to go throguh wall of gut
• digestive enzyme breaks down bonds so they can become smaller molecules
• occur in mouth, stomach and first section of small intestine

Question 7

why are there so many enzymes in chemical digestion

Answer 7

• different enzymes are needed for each food group
• different enzymes work in alkaline or acidic environments

Question 8

absorption in villi

Answer 8

• villi contain capillaries and a lacteal (lymph system)
• they increase the surface area of the illum so that as many as possible nutrients are absorbed

Question 9

how does absorption take place

Answer 9

• most nutrients enter through diffusion into capillaries and then to the liver
• but, fat is less absorbable and enters via the lacteal
• links to bloodstream via left subclavian vein along with vitamins
• delivers to the liver

Question 10

function of salivary glands

Answer 10

• moisten food to make it easier to swallow
• contains enzymes that help start the breakdown of food

Question 11

function of Bugal Cavity (mouth)

Answer 11

• ingestion : break down food
• use tongue, teeth, jaws

Question 12

function of small intestine

Answer 12

• aid digestion and breakdown of foods
• chyme passes here and mixes with bile and pancreatic juice
• food remains here for 4 hours

Question 13

function of rectum

Answer 13

• stores faeces
• remains of dried food

Question 14

function of liver

Answer 14

• make bile

Question 15

function of gallbladder

Answer 15

• store bile

Question 16

function of pancreas

Answer 16

• produce pancreatic juices

Question 17

function of anus

Answer 17

• excretes faeces at an appropriate time

Question 18

role of the liver

Answer 18

• caries out 500 functions in the body
• sorts, stores and distributes nutrients (assimilation)
• extra glucose is converted into glycogen, ready to be used as energy
• toxins like alcohol are broken down by liver

Question 19

role of pancreas

Answer 19

• produce pancreatic juices containing enzymes that are put into small intestine
• enzymes in juice break down fats, carbs and proteins (chemical digestion)
• produces hormone insulin

Question 20

pancreatic juices

Answer 20

• released from pancreas into small intestine
• neutralise the chyme because they are alkaline
• contain chemicals called enzymes which break down food into carbs, fats and proteins

Question 21

disorders of the digestive system

Answer 21

• gallstones
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• coeliac disease

Question 22

diagnosis of digestive system disorders

Answer 22

• food and symptom diary
• ultrasound
• endoscopy
• biopsy

Question 23

food and symptom diary

Answer 23

• keep track of food eaten and any symptoms for a given period of time
• dairy can be assessed by a doctor to identify triggers and frequency of symptoms

Question 24

ultrasound for digestive system

Answer 24

• images with sound waves which make images
• used to help diagnose pain or distention and evaluate the liver, gallbladder or pancreas
• it’s safe, non invasive, and doesn’t use ionizing radiation

Question 25

endoscopy

Answer 25

• involves inserting a tube that high a light and video camera
• inserted into either end of digestive system
• images are then related onto screens so doctors can see live images

Question 26

biopsy

Answer 26

• sample of tissues removed from body for examination under microscope
• look at very small structures and identify changes

Question 27

treatments for disorders of digestive system

Answer 27

• lifestyle changes (reduce cholesterol, gluten free, exercise, reduce stress, alcohol)
• lithotripsy (gallstones) - high frequency sound waves to break gallstones into small particles so the body naturally passes them

Question 28

bile

Answer 28

• produced in liver
• stored in gall bladder
• enter small intestine via bile duct
• it emulsifies fat and neutralises stomach acid and salts in bile to break down fats into tiny globules to form an emulsion

Question 29

gallstones

Answer 29

• form in gallbladder
• happen because of high cholesterol in bile causing crystals to form and grow in size

Question 30

symptoms of gallstones

Answer 30

• pain
• discomfort
• sweating
• nausea

Question 31

causes of gallstones

Answer 31

• females have higher risk
• overweight
• hereditary
• fatty meals might trigger pain

Question 32

irritable bowel syndrome

Answer 32

• muscles that line digestive system have normal rhythm affected
• mainly in the colon

Question 33

symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

Answer 33

• diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloated feeling, indigestion, flatulence

Question 34

causes of irritable bowel syndrome

Answer 34

• not fully understood
• alcohol
• fizzy drinks
• caffeine
• chocolate
• fried food
• processed foods
• stress

Question 35

coeliac disease

Answer 35

• autoimmune disease meaning immune system mistakes our own tissue as being harmful and destroys them

Question 36

symptoms of coeliac disease

Answer 36

• abdominal pain
• bloating feeling
• flatulence
• weight loss
• diarrhea
• can lead to anemia and osteoporosis

Question 37

causes of coeliac disease

Answer 37

• family link
• infection in gut during childhood might trigger it later in life